prislikhet

Prislikhet is a concept in marketing and consumer economics that describes the degree to which prices of similar products are alike within a market or category. The term is derived from the Norwegian words pris (price) and likhet (similarity). In practice, prislikhet refers to price clustering across competing brands or retailers, where price points align rather than vary widely. This can arise from market forces, price signaling, or strategic behavior, and it affects consumer perception and choice.

In consumer behavior, high prislikhet, or low price dispersion, can reduce the emphasis on price as a differentiator and shift attention to non-price attributes such as quality, brand, or convenience. Conversely, greater price dispersion can enhance the perceived value of lower-priced options and intensify price competition.

Measurement of prislikhet can be quantified by price dispersion metrics within a product category. Common measures include the range, standard deviation, or interquartile range of observed prices, as well as concentration indices across retailers. Price similarity can also be inferred from clustering techniques or market basket analysis.

Relevance to practice includes retail strategy and competition policy. Recognizing prislikhet helps pricing teams decide when to pursue price-based competition or differentiation strategies. In policy contexts, unusually low price dispersion may indicate tacit collusion, while high dispersion may reflect product differentiation and consumer heterogeneity.

Limitations: The term is not standard in major economic texts, and its interpretation varies. Analysts typically describe price dispersion, clustering, or price matching rather than using prislikhet as a formal metric.